If you finished the anime We Never Learn (Bokuben) feeling that the story was unfinished or that the ending with Uruka seemed rushed, know that your intuition is correct. The anime invented an exclusive ending, while the original manga, in a rare move celebrated by fans, gifted readers with five different and equally canonical endings, one for each heroine. This article is your complete guide to understanding this narrative revolution, discovering the details of each route, and knowing exactly where to continue the story from the anime.
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Why Are the Anime and Manga Different?
The second season of the anime, which ended in 2019, chose to create an original and conclusive ending that does not exist in the same way in the manga. In this ending, there is a time jump after the cultural festival, and Nariyuki is shown meeting Uruka at the airport, strongly suggesting that she is the “Fireworks Girl” and his romantic choice.
This decision generated a significant negative reaction from the fan community at the time. The main criticism was that this revelation was made in an extremely abrupt manner, without the proper emotional buildup, and cut off the future development of all the other characters. Many viewers felt that the producers, by making this closed ending, were signaling that there would be no third season, which indeed was confirmed.
It was this reaction, in part, that makes the work of the author, Taishi Tsutsui, in the manga even more remarkable. While the anime rushed to close the plot with a single heroine, the manga continued and, instead of electing a single “winner,” adopted an innovative structure similar to a visual novel, where each route is a valid parallel timeline (understand more about the role of the mangaka in this process).
The 5 Routes of the Manga: An Ending for Every Fan
In the manga, after a common arc that extends until approximately chapter 69, the story officially branches out. The author himself numbered each ending as “Route X/5,” making it clear that all are official and canonical. The idea, as discussed by fans, is that each reader chooses their “true ending”
The Ending with Uruka Takemoto
It is revealed that Uruka is the girl who helped Nariyuki overcome his father’s death in high school. She confesses her feelings before traveling to Australia on a scholarship. Years later, she returns as a world champion swimmer, and Nariyuki proposes to her.
The Ending with Rizu Ogata
The focus is on Rizu discovering her emotions. The main story involves her and Nariyuki helping their friend Sawako reconcile with her parents. This process makes Rizu recognize and accept her own feelings for Nariyuki, and the two become a couple.
The Ending with Fumino Furuhashi
In this route, Fumino is the one who suffers an accident on her way to the entrance exam, fracturing her leg. Nariyuki, who had rejected Uruka’s confession, takes care of her. The closeness during recovery leads them to finally confess their feelings and start a relationship.
The Ending with Asumi Kominami
The story jumps a few years into the future. Asumi is in a medical internship on a remote island, and Nariyuki, by coincidence, is the new teacher on the same island. After Nariyuki gets seriously injured saving students, Asumi needs to operate on him, which solidifies her feelings. After his recovery, he proposes marriage to her.
The Ending with Mafuyu Kirisu (Sensei)
Treated as a “grand finale”, this is the longest and most popular route. After graduation, Nariyuki becomes a teacher at the same school and neighbor to Kirisu. The arc deeply explores her past as a figure skater. Gradually, Mafuyu overcomes her pride, realizes her feelings, and accepts to marry Nariyuki. Fans speculate that the creation of the routes, and especially the spotlight on Sensei, may have been a response to her enormous popularity in polls.
Highlight: What Is the Ending with Sensei Kirisu Like?
Undoubtedly, the route of Mafuyu Kirisu is the most sought after and talked about by the community. The character, a cold and stern world history teacher on the outside, but incredibly clumsy and with a kind heart on the inside, has always captivated fans. She fears cockroaches, is terrible at housework, and has a complicated relationship with her family, which only adds to her depth.
Her popularity won polls by wide margins, and the author responded to this love with a route that was treated as the grand finale of the series. Published last, Route 5/5 received special treatment:
- Greater Development: It is the longest route, allowing for a delicate and gradual exploration of the complex relationship between student and teacher, which slowly transforms into something more.
- Overcoming the Past: The narrative dives deeply into Mafuyu’s past as a talented figure skater who quit for painful reasons, and how Nariyuki helps her confront those ghosts.
- Emotional Conclusion: The ending provides closure not only romantically but also for Mafuyu’s personal growth arc, showing her finding a new purpose and happiness. For many fans, this is the ending emotionally most satisfying and the true final point of the journey of We Never Learn.
Finished the Anime? See Where to Start Reading the Manga
This is one of the most common questions: “Which chapter do I continue after the anime?” The direct answer, and the most recommended by experienced fans, is: start from chapter 1 or, at the very least, from 69 in volume 16.
The reason is simple: the anime of the 2nd season skipped entire arcs of character development. To fully experience the story and, most importantly, to feel the emotions and get involved with the five final routes, this omitted content is absolutely crucial.
- Anime 2nd Season (Final): Corresponds approximately to chapter 86 of the manga.
- Reading Recommendation: To not miss anything, start reading from Volume 16 (which contains chapters 69 onwards). It is from here that the anime began to make significant cuts and where the plot starts to head towards the branching of the routes.
- Omitted Arcs: The anime cut important events involving Sensei Mafuyu’s sister, crucial romantic developments for Fumino, Rizu, and Asumi, and relationship-building scenes that give weight to the final choices.
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